The status of Fort Sumter in early 1861 was similar to that of several British forts on US territory after the Revolutionary War.
Those forts were manned, resupplied and reinforced at will by the Brits, some for 30+ years.
Their final status was settled at Ghent in 1814.
Fort Sumter was also similar to the US base in Guantanamo Cuba, in that the Communists don’t recognize our right to be there, and demand we leave.
Still the US government continues to man, resupply and reinforce Gitmo at will.
These US actions are certainly not acts of war against Cuba, but a Cuban assault on Gitmo certainly would be an act of war against the US.
Just as, for example, the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor was an act of war, so also the Confederate assault on Union troops in Fort Sumter was certainly an act of war.
And least there be any doubt of Confederate intentions, three weeks later, on May 6, 1861, the Confederacy formally declared war on the United States, simultaneously sending military aid to pro-Confederates in the Union state of Missouri.
Very interesting read - I had not known that the British Empire maintained forts on US territory after the Revolutionary War, with their status not finalized unitl 1814. I’ll have to read more about this.
I do agree with the contention that Guantanamo is similar to Sumter, though. In both we have a legal right to be there, and an unprovoked attack on either would be considered an act of War.